Written Answers

Monday 16 July 2001

Scottish Executive

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rate relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is to be extended.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has recognised the value of its initial rate relief scheme to affected businesses, detailed in Finance Circular 1/2001. We are therefore extending it for a further six month period, until 31 December 2001. In addition, the rateable value threshold for additional support in Dumfries & Galloway and Scottish Borders Council areas will be raised to £50,000, with retrospective effect from 1 April 2001, in recognition of the scale of the effect of foot and mouth disease on businesses in these areas, and the resultant cost of relief to the councils concerned. As a further safeguard for all councils, any relief granted by a council under the scheme which is worth more than 0.7% of its total budgeted expenditure for this year will be supported at the increased rate of 98%.